U.S. official says Iran knew team would have to leave country shortly after World Cup match Jun 16, 2026 · Jim Vertuno and Seung Min Kim · washingtontimes.com read more » The U.S. is pushing back on complaints from Iran's national team that it was forced to leave the country immediately after its first World Cup match instead of having a day to recover in a hotel, saying that was the plan for the team all along. Read more »